Governor Wes Moore says he’s fighting to keep health care affordable. But as a federal shutdown drags on and tax credits under the Affordable Care Act hang in the balance, some of his political opponents say the problem isn’t just about insurance — it’s about Maryland’s overall cost of living.

While Moore blames Washington gridlock and President Donald Trump for threatening to raise health care costs, critics argue his own administration has made Maryland one of the most expensive states to live in. From higher vehicle fees to new taxes on daily expenses, they say Moore’s fiscal decisions are driving residents – and their money – out of state.

Health care has become a flashpoint in the ongoing federal government shutdown. Democrats warn that health insurance premiums could spike under the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, if federal tax credits expire at the end of the year. Those credits act as federal discounts to lower monthly insurance costs.

Moore’s office blames the White House for the rising costs on everything in Maryland, from groceries to electric rates. “Now, Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress are holding health care hostage to keep the government shut down,” said David Turner, Senior Advisor and Communications for the Moore administration. “Instead of continuing to raise prices on hardworking families, Trump should come to the negotiating table to prevent this spike on health care costs and re-open the government.”

But Republicans, including state Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready of Carroll County, said Moore’s own policies are making life more expensive at home.

“I think we all would say we don’t want costs to go up for people,” Ready said. “But that’s why we’ve spent the last three years fighting against Governor Moore’s dogged attempts to raise every tax and fee possible known to man in this state.”

To close a $3.3 billion budget deficit, Moore and Democratic lawmakers approved about $1.6 billion in new taxes and fees this year. Those include:

Vehicle registration fees now at $120.50 for the average car.

Emissions tests are $30, up from $14.

A new $5 tire fee

Fishing licenses doubling from $25.50 to $52

Boating and title registration fees have nearly tripled from $24 to $70.

Increased taxes on sports betting, cannabis, vending machines and a new IT tax.

Income taxes also went up for Maryland residents making $500,000 or more.

Moore’s office estimates about 190,000 Marylanders could see their health insurance premiums increase an average of 95% next year – roughly $825 more a year, or $70 a month, if federal tax credits expire.

Ready said this all comes back to the bigger picture of how much Marylanders already pay. “I’m very concerned about health care premiums going up,” he said. “But as you mentioned, a $70 premium increase – there’s been hundreds of dollars, for many people, in cost-of-living increases due directly to actions of Governor Wes Moore.”

U.S. Rep. Andy Harris, the lone Republican in Maryland’s congressional delegation, agreed with Ready that the broader tax burden outweighs any health care savings. “Those COVID-era Obamacare enhanced subsidies affect about 7% of Americans,” Harris said. “The taxes and fees that the Democrats in Maryland imposed affect the vast majority of citizens.”

Spotlight on Maryland requested comment from U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks, a Maryland Democrat, but has not received a response.

Policy analyst Dr. Anirban Basu, CEO of the Sage Policy Group, said rising costs are pushing people out of Maryland. “We want to be a state in which people say, ‘I want to live here, work here, play here, retire here,’” Basu said. “But I hear so many retirees say, ‘No, I’m going to Boca Raton, Fort Lauderdale or Naples, Florida.’”

A new report from the Maryland Comptroller’s Office estimates more than 2 million people left the state between 2010 and 2023, citing the high cost of living and the housing market.

“This is a problem across the state,” Harris said. “It’s going to get worse before it gets better because our budget situation is actually getting worse in the state of Maryland. We have to come with new ideas and those new ideas shouldn’t include higher taxes and fees.”

When asked whether state leaders are failing residents, Basu said: “Oh, they have been for years. I don’t think residents necessarily realized it until recently that the state’s economy just isn’t producing enough opportunity.”

As the government shutdown drags on, Marylanders will soon find out whether those federal health care tax credits stay in place or if they’ll be paying even more.

Spotlight on Maryland is a collaboration between FOX45 News, WJLA in Washington, D.C., and The Baltimore Sun. Have a news tip? Contact Tessa Bentulan at tbentulan@sbgtv.com